Wood pallets comprising face boards secured to the opposite edges of stringers used for the storing, shipping and handling of goods frequently are damaged in part, but contain reusable portions. The face boards are attached usually by nails to the top and bottom edges of the stringers. The stringers in some pallets are replaced at least in part by blocks of wood or similar material, but in either case, the pallet is provided with opposite rows of substantially parallel face boards so that the pallets can be stacked one on the other, or placed on a horizontal surface, with the upper surface of a pallet carrying a load. Table saws have been provided heretofore which incorporate a flat table surface upon which a damaged pallet to be dismantled can be supported, and moved through a band saw to effect cutting of the nails or other fasteners holding the face boards to the stringers. Because pallets are irregular in size and configuration, they are generally moved across the table and past the saw blade manually. Because of the irregularities and distortions, binding of the blade frequently occurs and it is necessary for the saw operator frequently to twist the pallet from one position to another to facilitate its movement through the saw.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved table saw apparatus to facilitate the cutting of nails that connect the face boards of a pallet to the stringers and expedite and reduce the time and effort required to dismantle a pallet.
More particularly, it is an object to provide improvements to a table saw that facilitate the maneuvering of a pallet as it is moved through a saw so as to increase the rate at which pallets can be dismantled.
It is another object to provide a table saw that can be easily modified for operation by one man or alternatively by two men in processing larger pallets.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.